Oceans & Coasts

7 October 2011: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded its annual Article IV consultations with Marshall Islands, citing a strong economic recovery since 2009 while cautioning that long-term risks include energy supply and impacts of climate change.

The GEF Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It functions as an independent board of directors, with primary responsibility for developing, adopting, and evaluating GEF programs. Council members representing 32 constituencies (16 from developing countries, 14 from developed countries, and two from countries with transitional economies) meet twice each year for three days.

30 September 2011: The Human Rights Council closed its 18th regular session, adopting 33 texts on a wide range of issues, including a resolution on human rights and climate change (A/HRC/18/L26/Rev.1), in which the Council reiterates its concern that climate change poses an immediate and far-reaching threat to people and communities around the world, and has adverse implications for the full enjoyment of human rights.

30 September 2011: Experts attending the Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on "Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: A Challenge for Global Ports," organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), discussed strategies to adapt ports and transport systems in different parts of the world to the impacts of climate change.

29 September 2011: The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on developing a common EU position ahead of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), outlining its views on the concept of the green economy and desired outcomes of the Conference.

23 September 2011: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized an Expert Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development and Adaptation in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which focused the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in SIDS, and on promoting education to enhance adaptation to climate change in the context of sustainable development.

14 September 2011: The Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, hosted a Thematic Debate on small island developing States (SIDS), outlining UNESCO's ongoing and planned contributions towards the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy and in preparation for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).

27 September 2011: The general debate of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) closed on 27 September, with a number of speakers addressing the challenges posed by climate change, preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), and the specific vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

26 September 2011: During the general debate of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), a number of speakers referred to the impacts of climate change, addressing, inter alia, the specific vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the prospects for the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), and the impacts of climate change on food security and disasters.